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'Naked and Scared Challenge' lets patrons face their fears, completely nude, in a haunted house

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Shocktoberfest, a Halloween haunted house attraction in suburban Reading, Pa., has posted this banner on its website promoting its "Naked and Scared Challenge" -- a walk in the nude through a haunted house.
(Shockoberfest photo)

Most haunted houses promise to scare the pants off customers. Now, the Shocktoberfest haunted house in Sinking Spring, Pa., is daring customers take off their pants -- and the rest of their clothes -- as part of the experience.

For $20, those taking the Naked and Scared Challenge will get to doff their clothes in a "semi-private pre-show building," then tour Shocktoberfest's Unknown Haunted House, according to a report on philly.com.

Shocktoberfest opens Friday. Syracuse residents seeking to take its Naked and Scared Challenge or experience its other attractions should count on a drive of a little more than four hours to Sinking Spring, a suburb of Reading, Pa.

Naked and Scared patrons can decide whether to go nude or go prude -- that is, in their underwear. They'll get dressed after the show in a semiprivate fenced courtyard.

Why naked? Say Shocktoberfest officials:

"Shocktoberfest has created this experience so their customers can explore a new level of fear. This is about fear and pushing oneself out of their comfort zone."

The Naked and Scared Challenge was inspired by the Discovery Channel's hit TV show, "Naked and Afraid." That's a show in which a man and woman, total strangers, are dropped in a remote location, stripped of their clothing and almost all tools, and challenged to survive for three weeks, battling the elements, starvation and their own fears.

Shocktoberfest President Patrick Konopelski told FoxNews.com that he had trouble at first convincing people from municipal officials to his wife that the idea was a good one:

"A lot of people have preconceived notions about what it may become . . . It's just consenting adults given the opportunity to be as vulnerable as possible in a haunted house . . . he beautiful part about living in America is that if you're a consenting adult and you want to experience something you should have the right to do it."

Naked and Scared isn't about sex, noted the Daily Mail, citing a disclaimer posted by Shocktoberfest officials. Sexual misconduct and inappropriate or disrespectful behavior are forbidden. Participants will never be in view of minors or patrons not taking the challenge. They must be at least 18 and must sign a waiver before going through.

The challenge will take place at the end of the night, after all other customers have finished their tours. It won't be offered on Sundays.

The prospect of a naked terror walk doesn't appeal to all. Said Meredith Woerner, writing for io9.com:

We're all for terrifying haunted houses. But going through a haunted (house) naked? No thanks, pal . . . Personally, I prefer NYC's Blackout Haunted House, where only the people trying to scare you are naked. Not sure I can handle my wobbly bits swinging around in the dark whilst a scarecrow yells "Boo."